Red Square, Moscow © Creative Commons

Russia declared its sovereignty on 12 June 1990 as a way of distancing itself from the crumbling Soviet Union. The following year when the Soviet Union was formerly broken up, Boris Yeltsin came to power and declared 12 June Russian Independence Day and a national holiday. But it was not until over a decade later in 2003 under the presidency of Vladimir Putin that the day became a grand parade. Now each year on 12 June there is a big celebration and parade at Moscow's Red Square.

Times
All day.